Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-05


is something for which one might pine
and long. as the Switzer for the RAM
des-Vaches, and the more one hears it
the more he loves it. l think there
will never come a May in my life when
l shall not long to fold my tent and
take up my abode in the home of the
mocking-bird, and yet I can not say
what many do. For variety. glibness
and execution, the song is marvellous.
1t is a brilliant, bewildering exhibition,
and one listens in sort of ecstacy al
most equal to the birds own. for this,
it seems to me, is the secret of the pow
er of his music; he SO enjoys it himself,
he throws his whole soul into it, and
he is so magnetic that he charms a
listener into belief that nothing can be
like it. His manner also lends en-
chantment; he is seldom still. If he
begins in a cedar-tree, he soon flies to
the fence, singing as he goes. thence
takes his way to roof, and so on,
changing his place every few minutes.
but never losing a note. His favorite
perch is the top spire of pointed tree.
low cedar or young pine. where he can
bound into the air AS already described,
spread his wings, and float down,
never emitting quaver. 1t seems
like pure ecstasy; and however critical
one may be, he can not help feeling
deep sympathy that the joyous soul
that thus expresses itself. With all
the wonderful power and variety, the
betwitching charm. there is not the
feeling" the heavenly melody, of the
wood thrush. As an imitator, 1 think
he is much overrated. 1 can not agree
with Lanier that
'Whate er birds did or dreamed, this bird could
say;''
and that the birds are Jealous of his
song, as Wilson says, lean not believe.
On the contrary, 1 do not think they
recognize the counterfeit. The tufted
titmouse called as loudly and constant
ly all day as though no hooking bird
shouted his peculiar and easily initiated
call from the house-top; the cardinal
grosbeak sang every day in the grove,
though the mocker copied him more
closely than any other bird. He re-
peats the notes, rattles out the call.
but he can not put the cardinals soul
into them. The song of every bird
seems to ME the expression of himself;
it is perfect whole of its kind, given
with proper infections and pauses, and
never hurried; whereas, when the
mocker delivers it, it is simply one
more note added to his repertory, ut
tered in his rapid staccato, in his loud,
clear voice, interpolated between in
congruous sounds, without expression,
and lacking in every way the beauty
and attraction of the original.
The song consists entirely of short
staccato phrases, each phrase repeated
several times. perhaps twice. possibly
five or six times. If he has a list of
twenty or thirty-and thing he has
more-he can make almost unlimited
changes and variety. and can sing for
two hour or longer, holding his listener
spell-bound and almost without con.
sciousness that he has repeated any
thing.
So winning and SO lasting is the
charm with which this bird enthralls
his lovers that scarcely had l left his
enchanted neighborhood before every
thing else was forgotten. and there re-
main of that idyllic month only beau
tiful pictures and delightful memories.
20 thou heavenly bird"' -Olive 7horne
Miller, in atlantic.